Lessons from: The 5AM Club

Name: The 5AM Club
Author(s): Sharma, Robin

MASTERPEICE

“Do not live as if you have ten thousand years left. Your fate hangs over you. While you are still living, while you still exist on this Earth, strive to become a genuinely great person.” —Marcus Aurelius

I've been an early bird since I was a kid, I think it came naturally to me. Not at 5AM though, more like around 6-ish. There were a few times such as during college when this habit might have bent (7-ish) but I have usually been able to maintain a wake up time between 6-7 AM (of course this is linked to my go-to-sleep time of 9-10PM). Till the time I was living alone a few lapses in wake up time were fine because all of my time was my own, but recently, when I moved back with my parents, my life got more regimented and my time got shared with others. I started realizing that waking up early was often the difference between me being able to plan for the day and me getting caught in the rigmarole without being able to think about what I wanted out of that day. Not that getting up early was never a thought that crossed my mind but by reading "The 5 AM Club" the focus was amplified.

5 AM Club is a book that gave me hope, it almost spoke to me exactly as I wanted to be spoken to at that moment. I've always focused on living a balanced life, a life where all of its multichromatic dimensions are given time and effort by the person living it, a life where the mere act of living is a celebration, a life where the person is acutely aware that she is living and is doing so by CHOICE. Sounds too fancy but I really believe this is the way to live and when the book echoed it I felt an instant connect. Robin Sharma talks about (my interpretation) not working for externalities (money, fame, power etc.) or accumulation but instead working to do justice to the unique genius that the Creator has bestowed upon you. He talks about thinking deeply about what your life means to you, how you would want it to mean for those you care about and then being rock steady in its implementation - a life that is "unyielding when it comes to the protection of your inner peace". As I've grown older I really have seen how the only limitation, no, not the only, there are many other very real limitations - How the FIRST limitation always, ALWAYS begins in our mind. No matter what the subject and no matter how otherwise looming the challenges, as long as a person refuses (yep, plain and simple obstinate refusal) to believe (the only reality is in our own minds, there is no other "reality") that there exist any impenetrable walls (vs hurdles to be crossed) between them and their goal then they will not be defeated (vs failing and trying again). The books makes a point to bring this to light, it highlights how lasting defeat first begins in the mind and then manifests in reality. It speaks of how the world of today has created many such individuals who "practice (limiting beliefs) daily until they believe it’s reality". All of this really appeals to me - I might have been a type A personality once but now the only person I want to best is myself - to rise above my limiting mindset and free myself of my own shackles. Throughout its length the book continues to drive home this point - it doesn't have to be like this, you have the power.

But the thing I like most is that not only does the book give you hope, it also tells you how you can make that hope real by working around one big idea (hint: it's in the name). Obviously, getting up at 5 AM is not the solution, it's what you do between that and the time you start your day and the book goes fairly in depth as to what exactly should be done - good for me, I've always benefited from proper instructions. Getting up at 5 AM firstly must be cultivated as a habit, habits are born out of consistency, when you need not have a very explicit reward or penalty for doing something and yet feel the natural inclination to do it, that is when a habit is set. The book speaks of how important consistency is important to any long term venture in life, getting up at 5 AM being no different. It must start from there, though one can ease themselves into it and need not set alarms for 5 AM when they are used to getting up at 8. Once you are comfortable getting up at 5 then the hour between 5 and 6 can be divided into 3 phases, each one focusing on a different aspect of creating a strong day to come, and therefore a strong life lived. The book also weaves in the 4 sets - mindset, heartset, healthset and soulset as part of a strong life, it delves deep into each and explains what they are and how they are to be used in a broader context.

In closure, 5 AM Club  is a self help book but written in such a way to not just instruct but also to inspire. It is peppered with quotes from the greats, gives handy tips on how to create a winning mindset and constantly reminds the reader that the world of today is shallow, one where a person should remain vigilant of being caught in the rat race of mediocrity. I REALLY love this narrative, to go above and beyond in the performance of your job, to lift others up, to generate world class output and to live every moment with a dedication towards creating over consuming. It is not possible to go through a chapter in the book and come across a statement or a quote that I'm imagining is almost an impassioned appeal from the author to the reader to rise above the average, to lead the way. I cannot do justice to how beautifully this narrative is intertwined with instructions to "elevate your life" - it must be read to be realized. Everytime I read the book, everytime I go through my notes I feel energized to use this gift of life for the creation of something better. Very few books do that to me and 5 AM Club shall forever remain on my coffee table, dog eared, pages frayed and well thumbed from multiple readings each of which make me remember what a truly lucky human being I am to have woken up that morning at 5 AM.